Process of producing pressed metal articles.



A. GROB.

PROCESS OF PRODUCING PRESSED METAL ARTICLES.

APPLICA'HON FILED DEC. 30. X912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

l A. GROB PROCESS OF PRODUCING PRESSED METAL ARTICLES.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 30. 1912.

2 sHua s-sHEET 2.

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OLD GRUB, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOB, TO THE HYDRAULIC PRESSED EpTEEL COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION 015 OHIO.

PROCESS 01* YRODUCING PBES'SED METAL ARTICLES.

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To all whom it may concern:

I Be it known that I, ARNOLD Gnoe, a citizen of the United States residingat Cleveland, in the county of Quyahoga and State 5 of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Processes of Producing Pressed-Metal Articles," of which the following is a full, clear, and exact descriptio'n, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

Thisinvention relates to a process of pro ducing metal articles, such as cans, barrels, and other receptacles, and is particularly adapted for the production from pressed metal of articles of this kind having a greater diameter intermediate of the ends than at the ends thereof. As articlesof this kind have been constructed heretofore, it-

has been deemed necessary to produce this bilge or intermediate enlargement either by bringing down the metal from the top or upwardly from the bottom of the blank to provide for the enlargement, or by stretching the metal at such intermediate portion. Both of these operations necessitate the application of ver great force to the metal, requiring heavy and expensive machinery; a more serious detriment, however, to these processes results from the strain to which the metal is subjected, said strain thinning and weakening the metal and-rendering it less capable of withstanding the incidentsof use than-if it were not so mistreated. For convenience of description, the metal from which the article is to be formed will be referred to as a blank at any stage-prior to the operation which gives it the final bilged shape. In the practice of my invention, the blank is made of a diameter equal, or substantially equal, to the greatest diameter of the finished article and this blank is then subjected to the action of dies which operate to elongate the blank and reduce the diameter thereof where desirable (in the case of a barrel, at the ends) and to provide suflicient metal in any transverse plane to allow the blank. by being merely expanded, to attain the desired shape and cross sectional area without materially stretching the metal. That is to say, by the peculiar manner of operating upon the blank, sufficient metal is provided between the ends of the blank-at the place where needed-to enable the blank to be given the shape which exists in the finished article by merely ex- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 4t, rear.

Application filed December 30, 1912. Serial No. 739,194.

or expanding operation; Fig. 2 represents the same blank prior to being subjected to the operation by which the form shown in the preceding figure is produced; Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through a machine for carrying out my process, the blank of Fig. 2 being shown in place; Fig. 4 represents a similar view showing the positions of the parts while the blank is being operated upon; Fi 5 is a sectional view corresponding to the line 5-5 of Fig. 4:; Fig. 6 a sectional view through the central part of theblank shown in Fig. 1; and Fig. 7 a

detail in plan of the apparatus shown in Figs. 3 and 4-, the movable dies being omitted.

Describing the various parts illustrated herein by the use of reference characters, 1 denotes the vertically reciprocable frame of a die press, said frame carrying a plunger 2 and having pivoted thereto a plurality of downwardly extending arms 3, the purpose of which will be These arms and the plunger pass through a stationary intermediate frame member 4, openings being provided for such plunger and for the arms, the openings for the arms bein laterallv elongated. as shown at tob t. a

permit the arms to swing upon their pivotal supports.

6 denotes a stationary tubular member having an internal diameter at least as great as the maximum diameter of the blank. The member 6 is provided with upwardly and outwardly projecting arms 7, four pairs of .such arms being shown. These arms extend upwardly, preferably to the top of the tubular member 6, and each pair of arms supports at their upper end a shaft 8 on which there is mounted a roller S). The arms 3 are adapted to pass between the rollers 9 and the tubular member 6. The member 6 disclosed hereinafter.

' movable, will be pressed is provided at its upper end with an upwardly extending flange 6 and is slotted below the top thereof to )rovide guides for a plurality of movable dles 10, there being one movable die for each arm 3 and roller 9. Each of these movable dies 10 is wedge shaped in cross section, having its upwardly flared sides 11 supported on' the reversely flared or inclined sides 12 of segmental fixed dies 13 (see Figs. 3 and The outer ends of the dies 10 are adapted to bear against the inner edges or faces of the arms 3, the outer faces or edges of such arms bearing against rollers 9, the inner edges or faces of said arms being concavely recessed, as shown at 14, for purposes described hereinafter. By reference to F igs, 5 and 7 it will be seen that the inner edges 18 of the fixed dies are rounded off downwardly and outwardly whereby, as the movable dies are retracted, the blank will be drawn along an extended rounded edge, whereby there will be no danger of cutting or rupturing the metal.

15 denotes a tubular support projecting downwardly from the stationary member 4 and into the upper end of the tubular member 6. The cylindrical blank a is fitted over the support, with its lower end above the die members 10 and 13. This blank, prior to being operated upon by the mechanism described herein, is of a diameter equal to the greatest diameter of the article which it is desired to produce. The inner edges of the dies 10 and 13. when the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 3, form a circle the diameter of which is substantially equal to the end diameter which it is desired the blank shall have after such operat-ion. As shown, this diameter is only snf ficiently greater than the diameter of the plunger 2 to enable the metal of the blank (5 to be received conveniently between the plunger and the inner edges of the dies. With the parts arranged as described. the member 1 is moved downwardly by the mechanism usually employed in die presses, carrying the plunger 2 with it, and this plunger strips the blank a from its support 15 and forces the blank downwardly within the tubular member 6 and across the inner edges of the dies 10 and 13. With the parts constructed as shown, the lower end of the blank will be a circle of substantially the same diameter as the plunger 2. As the plunger descends the blank presses against the inner edges of the dies and the dies 10, being outwardly against the arms 3, which arms will control the movement of these dies through the engage ment of the outer edges 14 with the rollers 9. The dies 10 are permitted to move outwardly until the middle points of the concave edges 14 bear against said dies, after which further downward movement of the plunger will cause the dies 10 to be forced inwardly by the concave edges 14 until at the end of the downward stroke of the plunger the upper end of the blank will be contracted to substantially the diameter of the plunger, as may be readily seen from an inspection of l igs. 1 and 4-. By the operation of the mechanism as described, the blank a has been reduced to a minimum diameter at its ends, but the cross sectional area increases gradually from each end toward the center. Those portions of the blank which have been operating against the dies 10 will form outwardly projecting segments 6 and the portions of the blank intermediate of such segments and which have been operated upon by the fixed dies 13 will form cylindrical segments 0. \Vith the contour given to the inner curved edges 14 of the arms 3, the segments 1) will be of true bilge form, said segments having their greatest amount of projection at the longitudinal center of the blank.

Owing to the manner of constructing the (lies and the operation of the same upon the blank, the linear extent of any inwardly directed portion 0. (l of the blank between two of the outwardly projecting segments 11 will be equal to or substantially equal to the linear extent of an are c of the circle continuing and joining said segments 1) and having the same center of curvature as said segments. This is true for any transverse section that may be taken through the blank. As av result. the inwardly projecting portions 0, (I of the blank may e pressed or expanded outwardly to form a symmetrical continuation of the segments 11 without materially stretching the metal or subjecting it to any other strain than that ncccssary merely to move it. without material stretching, from one position to another. This expanding or pressing outwardly of the indentations may be accomplished by any approved mechanism including the wellknown expanding dies or rollers. and hence illustration of such expanding mechanism is believed to be unnecessary.

While the constriurtion shown herein is designed for the production of an article of the general shape of a. bilged barrel, it will be obvious that varying shapes may be given to the blank and to the. article to be produced therefrom by suitably varying the proportions of parts (and particularly the curvature of the edges 14: ot the arms 3). as conditions may demand. Ry the process and apparatus disclosed herein. it will be evident that an article may be 1)I' )tlll('t(l having an expanded portion between its ends without, on the one hand. the nccessitv tor bringing down the metal from the ends of the blank to the middle or enlarged portion and without. on the other hand. materially stretching the intermediate portion of the blank to accommodate the increased dimensions at this point.

While I have shown herein a blank of cylindrical form which is subjected to the operations'whereby a finished article having an enlarged intermediate section may be produced, I do not intend to be limited to this particularshape. except as such limitation may be included positively in the claims hereto annexed. For certain purposes, it may be advisalole to use a blank.

blank having a diameter substantially equal to the greatest diameter of the finished article. elongating the blank, and providing the body of the blank, intermediate of its ends, with segments of substantially the radius of the ends alternating with segments projecting outwardly beyond the first mentioned segments to sulilstantially the diamcter of the blank before the elongating and contracting operation.

2. The process of producing metal articles having a greater diameter intermediate of than at the ends thereof, said process comprising the production of a symmetrical blank, elongating the blank, and providing the body of the blank. intermediate of its ends, with outwardly projecting segments. the amount of projection whereof increases from the ends toward the middle. where said segments have substantially the radius of the blank before the elongating operation.

3. The process of producing metal articles which comprises the production of a cylindrical blank of substantially the same diameter as the greatest diameter of the article'to be produced. elongating the blank and reducing the diameter of the ends thereof, and providing the body. intermediate of the ends, with alternating inwardly and outwardly extending segments.

4. The process of producing metal articles which comprises the production of a symmetrical blank. elongating the blank and reducing the diameter of the ends thereof. and providing the body of the blank intermediate of the ends. with inwardly and outwardly extending segments.

5. The process of constructing metal articles having a greater diameter intermediatev of the ends than at the ends thereof. said process comprising the production of a symmetrical sheet-metal blank, elongating the blank and producing therein segments varying in radial distance from the center of the blank. and pressing the segments of less radius outwardly to cause them to coincide in radius with the other segments.

6. T he process of constructing metal articles having a greater d-ial'neter intern'icdiate of the ends than at the ends thereof. said process comprising the 'n'oduction of a cylindrical sheet metal blank. subjecting said blank to treatment whereby it is elongated and there are produced therein segments of reduced radius alternating with segments of greater radius, the radii of the last mentioned segments increasing from the ends toward the center of the blank, and finally pressing outwardly the intermediate inwardly extending segments to coincide with the outwardly projecting segments.

7. The process of forming metal articles having an intermediate portion of greater diameter than the endsthereof, said process comprising the production of a symmetrical blank. elongating said blank and contracting the ends thereof. and providing the blank with segments of substantially the same radius as the contracted ends and with out-wardly projecting segments intermediate of the firstmentioned segments and having a maximum radius substantially equal to that of the blank prior to the elongating operation.

8. The process of forming metal articles of greater diameter intermediate of the ends than at the ends thereof said process comprising the production of a cylindrical 100 blank. reducing the diameter of the ends and elongating the blank. and providing the blank with a plurality of cvlindrical segments connecting the ends alternating with outwardly projecting segments also 105 connecting the ends and having a maximum diameter substantially equal to the diameter of the cylindrical blank.

' 9. The process of producing metal articles having an intermediate portion of greater 110 diameter than the ends thereof. said process comprising the provision of a symmetrical blank, subjecting saidv blank to treatment whereby it is simultaneously elongated. re

duced in diameter at its ends. and provided with two series of alternating segments, the segments of one series having the same radii as the ends of the blank and the radii of the segments of the other series increasing from the ends to ard the central portion of the blank. and subsequently pressing the first mentioned segments out wardlv to give them the diameter of the second mentioned segments.

10. Fhe process of 'n-oducing metal articles having an intermediate portion of greater diameter than the ends thereof. said process comprising the provision of a cylindrical blank having alternating inwardly and outwardly projecting segments between such ends, the linear extent of any inwardly extending segment of the blank being substantially equal to an are described from the center of the blank and connecting the outer ends of such inwardly extending segment, and subsequently pressing the inwardly extending segments outwardly to give such segments the radii of the outwardly extending segments.

11. The process of producing metal articles' having an intermediate portion of greater diameter than the ends thereof, said process comprising the production of a symmetrical blank, elongating said blank and reducing the diameter ofthe ends thereof, and providing, intermediate of the ends of the blank, suflicient metal to be pressed outwardly to the desired diameter without materially stretching the metal.

12. The process of producing metal articles having an outwardly projecting portion intermediate of the ends thereof, said process comprising the production of a substantially symmetrical blank. reducing the diameter of the ends of the blank and elongating said blank, providing an intermediate portion of the blank with projections, and pressing outwardly the metal between such projections.

13. The process of producing metal arti- -cles having an outwardly projecting zone intermediate the ends thereof, said process comprising the production of a blank of irregular or indented shape the linear boundaries of different cross sections of said blank varying in extent but being of the same length as the boundaries of correspondingly-chosen cross sections in the finished article, and giving the blank its final shape, whereby the article is formed without the necessity for drawing metal into the outwardly projected zone.

l-t. The process of producing metal articles having an outwardly projecting zone intermediate the ends thereof, said process comprising the production of a symmetrical blank the diameter whereof is substantially equal to the maximum diameter of the tinished article, subjecting said blank to an operation whereby it is provided with projections, the linear boundaries of ditferent cross sections of such blank (taken through such projections) varying in extent and the linear l'ioundary of greatest extent: being substantially equal to the linear boundary of the symmetrical blank and such boundaries being substantially identical with those of correspondingly chosen cross sections in the finished article, and pressing outwardly the metal between such projections.

' 15. The process of producing metal articles which comprises the production of a symmetrical blank, elongating the blank and reducing the diameter of the ends thereof, and Providing the body of the blank, intermediate of the ends, with longitudinal inwardly and outwardly extending segments.

16. The process of producing metal articles havin an intermediate portion of greater diameter than an end thereof, said process comprising the production of :1 cylindrical blank of substantially uniform cross-section. providing the intcrn'iediate portion of the blank with inwardly and outwardly projeciitng segments. and bringing such segments of substantially the same width into a connnon curved surface.

17. The process of producing bilgcd nictal articles, aid process comprising the production of a cylindrical blank (if substantially unit'orni cross-section, cloi'igating the blank nd ontracting an end thcrcoi', providing the blank with longitudinally extcnding outwardly projecting segments the radius whereof in any plane transverse to the axis of the blank is substantially equal to the radius the completed bilged article is to have, the radius of the indentations between said segments being substantially equal to the radius of the reduced end, and subsequently pressing outwardly the metal between the convex portions of the segments whereby the metal between such convex portions is brought into a common curved surface with such portions.

18. The process of producing metal articles having an intermediate portion of greater diameter than an end thereof, said process comprising the production of a cupped blank. drawing spaced portions of said blank under a substantially fixed pressure whereby their radial distance from the center o'l the blank will be substantially the same throughout their extent. drawing spaced portions intermediate oi the first mentioned portions under a pressure that is greatest. t th initial and filial stages of the drawing operation and which pressure diminishes from such initial and final stages toward the intermediate stage whereby the intermediate parts of the last mentioned portions will project outside of and beyond the corresponding parts of the first mentioned portions, and prcssing the first mentioned portions outwardly to form a common surface with the last mentioned portions.

15). The process of producing pressed metal articles having an intcrnu-diatc portion of greater diameter than the ends thereof, said process comprising the produ tion of a cupped blank. pplying said blank to an internal support of less diameter than said blank. drawing said blank through two series of dies, the dies of one series alternating with those of the other series. the dies of one series being arranged to press the metal of the blank thcrewithin into substantial engagement with the support whereby a series of segments of substantially the diameter or said support will be formed, and the dies intense Of'the other series being yieldingly supported whereby they will move outwardly and inwardly as the blank is drawn therethrough, thereby to produce a series of segments 1ncreasing in diameter from the ends of the blank toward the center thereof, and subsequently bringing the segments of both series into a common curved surface.

20. The process of producing bilged metal bodies, said process comprising the production of a cupped blank, subjecting said blank to a cold-drawing operation whereby it is elongated, reduced in diameter at its ends and provided With two series of alternating segments, the segments of one se ries having substantially the seine radii as. the reduced ends. and the radii of the segmen s of the other series increasing from the ends toward the central portion of the blank, and subsequently bringing such segments into u common curved surface.

. in testimony whereof, I hereunto uffix my signature in the presence of two witnesses. ARNOLD GROB.

Witnesses:

H. F. POTTER, H, U. DAVIDSON. 

